Wheeled toy



p 1951 M. E. ASHWORTH ETAL 2,567,462

WHEELED TOY Filed April 29, 1948 A 7' TOR/7f Y Patented Sept. 11, 1951 OFFICE WHEELED TOY v Marjorie E. Ashworth, Upper Montclair, and Patsy S. Ciccone, West Orange, N. J.

Application April 29, 1948, Serial No. 24,065

2 Claims.

This invention relates to toys and is disclosed in some detail as embodied in a wheeled toy adapted to be pulled along, as on a floor, and to waddle to some extent like a duck, or exhibit similar motions which are produced by an animal Walking.

Toys to be pulled along. the floor interest children, and toys which also include independent movement of various parts exercise more than a mere interest and often completely fascinate the child, but such toys are often fragile or include complicated driving parts, so that they are easily damaged and expensive to produce.

According to the present invention a toy is provided which effects many varieties of move ment for winning and holding the interest of the child, which may be made of wood, metal or plastic, and of as rugged construction as desired. It is capable of withstanding abuse, is composed mainly of flat surfaces, so that it is economical to decorate in bright colors and in patterns which will emphasize the appearance of movement of parts, is easily pulled, and is economical to manufacture either of wood or metal or plastic. The toy further embodies a complex motion which is produced through simple means and which is instituted when the toy is pulled.

In the form shown, the front of the toy carries the form of a ducks neck and head or the like, and the rear end simulates the tail of the duck. The head and tail are constructed so as to be independently movable to nod or bow at intervals, thus amusing the child. In the form shown, this end is attained by eccentrically mounting the head piece and tail piece on separate wheels, and the Wheels are shown as journalled in a common linking member.

To effect the best illusion, the front piece runs on eccentrically journalled wheels so that the eccentric journals can give it an effect of nodding around in respect to a front wheel. The rear or tail piece also runs on eccentrically journalled wheels so that the eccentric journals bow the tail up and down around in respect to a rear wheel. A center piece runs on further eccentric journals which are angularly off-set from the above mentioned journals.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the device in one position.

Fig. 2 is a top "iew, and

2 Fig. 3 is a section on the broken line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

.In the form shown, a head or front piece It runs on a front wheel I l disposed in an opening 12in the front l3 of the piece it, turning on a journal 14 which may be central of the wheel I I.

The rear end l5 of the front piece l0 is shown as carried by a transverse shaft 16, cccentrically fast to a pair of larger wheels 18, i9, so that as the device moves along, the rolling wheels raise and lower the shaft 16 and. so cause the front piece it) to nod around in respect to the journal or shaft M.

The tail piece I! is also shown as running on a central small wheel 20 journalled on a transverse shaft 2| in a central opening 22 at its rear end 23, so that the tail piece I! moves along easily.

The front end of the tail piece I! is shown as carried on a transverse shaft 24 eccentrically fast to two larger wheels 25, 26, so that as that tail piece moves along, the shaft 24 causes it to rock or nod around in respect to the shaft 2!. The broken line circles designated l6 and 24 in Fig. 1 indicate the extreme positions of the respective shafts as the body moves along.

In the form shown, the front piece I 0 is connected to the tail piece IT by a pair of outside link pieces 21, 28, held together by a cross-bar 29 which bridges the space between them.

The link pieces 27, 28, are connected to the front piece l0 through the wheels [8, i9, by stub shafts 30, 3|, which are carried in their respective link pieces and serve as eccentric journals on which the wheels l8 and I9 turn, relatively to the link pieces 21, 28, thus causing the front of the link pieces to move up and down as they are drawn along.

Similarly, the link pieces 2'! and 28 are connected to the tail piece I! by stub shafts 32, 33, on which the wheels 25, 26 eccentrically turn relative to the link pieces 27, 28, thus causing the rear ends of the link pieces to move up and down as they ride along. The two eccentric journals on each wheel are angularly off-set from each other to achieve the effect hereinafter described.

In the form shown, the shaft [6 turns on the opposite side of the actual centers of the wheels l8 and IS in respect to the shafts 30, 3|, and the shafts 32 and 33 turn on the sides of the actual centers of their wheels 25 and 26 opposite the shaft 24. Thus, the actual centers of the wheels are not used at all while the connected members are oppositely directed during movement of the toy. Accordingly, all up and down motions seem exaggerated. Furthermore, the shafts l6 and 24 are respectively on opposite sides of shafts 30, 3| and 32, 33. This results in a cyclical series of approaches and withdrawals of the front member l and rear member I! simultaneously with the rising andfalling thereof. Thecomplexity and symmetry of such motion isconsiderepd highly desirable in attracting interest and the same is achieved by relatively simple means.

The front of the front piece I0 may roughly resemble the beak of a duck and the link .-.pieces may roughly resemble the .folded .wings of a duck. Thus a highly realistic effect is .obtained when the device is drawn along by its string 34 to roll on the floor.

The particular action or motion may be .described as a continuous series of contractions and extensions accompaniedby up and down movements. The full lines of Fig. '1 illustrate the extended position, while the broken linesillustrate the contracted-position. The contracted position results from the movement of shafts I6 and 24 towards each otheras the toy is pulled,

such movement bringing the head lfl-and'tail 19 together while at the next cycle in the series they are brought apart.

Having thus described one form of the invention in some detail, what is claimed is:

1. In a toy, a front body member, a rear body membenside members linking the front and rear members, wheels concealed behind the side members, and eccentric journals bywhich each wheel carries a body member and a link member eccentrically.

2. A toy having bodyimembers, front'and'rear pairs of wheels upon which the body members are carried, each pair of said wheels being eccentrically journalled to the body members so that rotation of the wheels causes the body members to rise and fall, a front member eccentrically journalled to the front pair of said wheels and oppositely to the eccentric journal of said body members whereby the front member rises and falls .in opposite sequence to;v said body, members as the wheels rotate, a rear membereccentrically journalled to the rear pair of wheels and likewise opposite to the eccentric journal of said body members whereby the rear member rises and falls in-opposite sequence to said body members as the wheels rotate,.the respective journals of the front and rear members to the pair of wheels being on opposite sides of their centers when the device 'restsonaailat surface so that the front and rearmembers cyclically approach and withdrawfrom each other as they rise and fall.

MARJORIE E. ASHWORTH. PATSY,-S. CICCONE.

REFERENCES CITED 'The'following references are of record in the file of this patent:

-UNITED STATES ,P ATENTS 

